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Teachers divided over new payroll schedule

APS changed the increments in which teachers are paid, increasing the number of paychecks from 26 to 27, but decreasing the amount per paycheck.

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Updated: 11:56 PM MDT Sep 19, 2013

Teachers divided over new payroll schedule

APS changed the increments in which teachers are paid, increasing the number of paychecks from 26 to 27, but decreasing the amount per paycheck.

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Updated: 11:56 PM MDT Sep 19, 2013

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WEBVTT ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING A REAL-LIFE MATH LESSON.... THAT HAS MANY OF THEM FUMING! TARGET 7 HAS LEARNED, A-P-S CHANGED THE WAY IT PAYS PEOPLE THIS YEAR.... AND THAT MEANS LESS MONEY PER PAYCHECK. LAUREN ZAKALIK IS ON THE STORY TONIGHT ... AND FINDS OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. this has been a huge blow A PAYROLL PROBLEM ... theyre really struggling with it HAS A-P-S TEACHERS... TICKED. traditionally all of APS has been paid in 26 regular installments, that's basically every other week BUT LAST YEAR, A-P-S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DON MOYA REALIZED HE HAD TO CHANGE THE INCREMENTS IN WHICH TEACHERS WERE PAID. people were being actually paid for days they didnt work A VIOLATION OF STATE ANTI-DONATION LAWS... IT HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS. SO, MOYA ASKED TEACHERS FOR THEIR INPUT... ON HOW TO CHANGE THE PAY SCHEDULE TO GET BACK ON TRACK... AND TEACHERS VOTED FOR 24 PAYCHECKS A YEAR.. BIGGER AMOUNTS, IN FEWER CHECKS. BUT A-P-S WENT IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION-- AND OPTED FOR 27. ok so let me break it down for you-- the average teacher at APS makes about 43-thousand dollars. So under last year's scenario, that was about 1653 per paycheck. Under this year's scenario, that's about 1592 per paycheck. that means, before taxes, thats a difference of about 61 dollars less per paycheck! when you have 40, 50, 60 dollars difference in a paycheck, thats the difference in paying your bills ALBUQUERQUE TEACHERS UNION PRESIDENT ELLEN BERNSTEIN SAYS THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING. at the end of the year, you're still getting the same amount of $... why should it matter in what kind of increments you're getting it? if you have a cushion, it doesnt matter. the problem is a lot of teachers are living paycheck to paycheck i understand their concern, i understand their frustration MOYA SAYS.. THE 27-CHECK METHOD WAS THE LEAST DISRUPTIVE OPTION. BUTY, NEXT YEAR, HE WANTS TO WORK WITH TEACHERS, THE PAYROLL DEPARTMENT AND THE BOOKKEEPERS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION EVERYONE IS HAPPY WITH. IN THE MEANTIME ... THE UNION FILED A GRIEVANCE AGAINST A-P-S... FOR MAKING THIS DECISION, AND IGNORING THEIR INPUT. this has been a huge blow, and people are struggling, and theyre very angry about it FOR T7, IM LZ. A-P-S SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AT THIS POINT TO CHANGE THE WAY TEACHERS ARE PAID THIS SCHOOL YEAR.... BUT 24 CHECKS

Teachers divided over new payroll schedule

APS changed the increments in which teachers are paid, increasing the number of paychecks from 26 to 27, but decreasing the amount per paycheck.